The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2015, and October 31, 2016 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2016 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on November 3, 2016, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

When four 12-year-olds, all born on February 29th, meet by coincidence in an Italian hotel, readers should expect mayhem to ensue—and they won’t be disappointed. The four—Italian Elettra, American Harvey, Chinese Sheng and French Mistral—meet an obviously frightened older man who passes them a briefcase, begs them to keep it safe and hurries off, leaving the kids to chase around Rome looking for a mysterious artifact called the Ring of Fire. In this first of a planned four-book series, plot rules all and shortcuts abound. Characters rarely rise above type while genre tropes propel the story. However, the plot is masterful, with cliffhangers galore, a fair amount of violence and an ending that both satisfies and whets the appetite for more. The full-color insert bound into the center of the book is terrific: Maps, photos, drawings and reproductions set the scene and help readers to visualize the plot. Give this book to Horowitz readers and fans of Michael Scott’s The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel and prepare for another onslaught of readers. (Adventure. 11-14)

Be the first to discover new talent!
Each week, our editors select the one author and one book they believe to be most worthy of your attention and highlight them in our Pro Connect email alert.
Sign up here to receive your FREE alerts.